Signaling apparatus



Sept. 5, 1939. J. MELTZER SIGNALING APPARATUS Filed May 7, 1938 INVENTOR.

B 5557 ML 1725/? ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGNALING APPARATUS Application May 7, 1938, Serial No. 206,637

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a signaling apparatus.

The object of the invention is the production of an apparatus by means of which a patient in bed can easily call an attendant.

The second object of the invention is the production of a signaling apparatus which can be easily clamped in place in a bed, and to which an electric cable can be easily detachably connected for a signal.

The organization of the invention essentially comprises a spring clamp with its usual inclined clamping blades, which can be detachably connected to a support. The blades coact with a pair of oppositely curved locking arms with curved ends which detachably support an electric cable for a signal.

In the drawing Fig. 1 represents a top plan view of the signaling apparatus in operative position; Fig. 2 shows an enlarged partial section of Fig. 1, on the line 2-2; Fig. 3 indicates a right hand end view of a portion of Fig. 2 indicating the clamping means for the cable of the apparatus, and Figs. 4 and 5 show side views of the locking arms indicated in Fig. 2 with their appurtenances.

The signaling apparatus comprises the cylindrical spring clamp 20, having the longitudinal front bearing ends 2| and 22, and the similar longitudinal openings 23 and. 24 in its rear portion. A pair of normally inclined clamping blades are respectively designated in their entireties by the numerals 30 and 40.

The clamping blade 30 is shown with the wide front portion 3| having the front clamping end 32, and the relatively narrow handle 33 with the outer end 34. A bulged-out crosswise stop 36 extends from the outer face of the blade 30. A rectangular opening 31 having the ends 38 and 39 extends through the blade 30.

The similar clamping blade 40 is shown with the wide front portion 4|, similar to 3|, the front clamping end 42 and the relatively narrow handle 43 with the outer end 44. A bulged out crosswise stop 46 similar to 36 extends from the outer face of the blade 40. The clamping blade 30 extends through the opening 23 of the spring clamp 20 and its stop 36 bears against the bearing end 2| of the spring clamp, while the upper portion of the blade 30 bears against the inner face of said clamp 20.

The clamping blade 40 extends through the opening 24 of the spring clamp 20, and. its stop 46 bears against the bearing end 22, of said clamp. Similar oppositely curved locking arms are indicated at 50 and 60.

The curved locking arm 50 is indicated having the upper contracted portion 5| and the foot 52 (Fig. 4). The latter extends through an opening 48 in the blade 40 and is soldered to the bottom face thereof. The curved locking arm extends through the rectangular opening 3'! of the clamping blade 30 and bears against the end 38 of said opening 31 and joins with its oppositely curved upper end 53. The latter carries the semi-cylindrical clamping support 54.

The curved locking arm 60 at its lower end is shown with the foot 6| which latter extends through an opening 49 m the blade 40, and said foot is soldered to the bottom face of said blade 40.

The arm 60 has formed therewith at its upper portion the rectangular opening 62, through which the contracted portion 5| of the arm 58 extends. The said curved arm 60 extends through the rectangular opening 31 of the blade 30 and bears against the end 39 of said opening 31. The arm 60 has integral therewith the oppositely curved upper end 63. A semi-cylindrical clamping support 64 identical with 54 is carried by the curved upper end 63.

To the curved arm 50 is fastened the cylindrical spring 10 having the overlapping ends H and 12 which bear against the locking arm 60.

A piece of bed clothing 15 which may be a bed sheet or pillow case is clamped at one end by the clamping ends 32 and 42. An electric cable 11 is positioned in the supports 54 and 64 and clamped thereby. At one end of the cable 7 T! is connected the usual switch 18, having the push button 19 and the outer end of said cable is connected to a signal such as a bell not shown.

To use the signaling apparatus, the patient in the bed grasps the switch 18 bears down on the push button 19, whereby the bell or other signal is energized.

To position the signaling apparatus in place the handles 33 and 43 are grasped near their ends and pressed or swung toward each other. By this means the ends 38 and 39 of the opening 31 bear against the outer faces of the locking arms and 60, which forces the latter toward each other. At the same time the curved ends 53 50 and 63 of the arms 50 and 60 move from each other. When the ends 53 and 63 are sufiiciently spaced apart the cable 11 is located between the clamping supports 54 and 64. Then the handles 33 and 43 are released and said cable 'l'l will be 55 tightly clamped between the clamping supports 54 and 64.

When the handles 33 and 43 are pressed or swung toward each other the clamping ends 32 and 42 of the blades 30 and 40 are separated from each other and. the piece of bed clothing 15 is inserted between said ends. 32 and 42, and upon the release of the handles 33 and 43 the said piece of bed clothing is tightly clamped by the ends 32 and 43, to securely hold the signaling apparatus in place.

opening of the other blade, said arms having oppositely curved ends for supporting a cable and flexible means between the arms to space them apart and thereby force their curved ends toward each other, said blades when forced toward each other at their ends adjacent to said arms separating the curved ends of said arms.

2. The combination of a spring clamp, a pair of blades, one having an opening therethrough, extending through the spring clamp, a pair of oppositely positioned curved locking arms each having its lower end fastened to the blade not having said opening and the other ends of the locking arms extending through the opening of the other blade, said arms having oppositely positioned curved outer ends and a spring between said arms functioning to spread them from each other and to force their outer ends toward. each other, the curved ends of the arms adapted to support a cable.

3. The combination of a spring clamp, a pair of blades, one having an opening therethrough, extending through the spring clamp, a pair of oppositely curved locking arms each having its lower end fastened to the blade devoid of said opening and the upper ends of the arms extending through the opening of the blade, one of said arms having an opening for the other arm to extend through to position the upper portions of the arms crosswise to each other, said arms having curved outer ends oppositely positioned to each other and flexible means between said arms tending to spread them from each other and thereby force their outer ends toward each other, the curved ends of said arms adapted to support a cable for a signal.

4. In a signaling apparatus the combination of a cylindrical spring clamp havingpbearing ends and a pair of longitudinal openings, a pair of normally inclined-blades each having a crosswise bulged out stop extending through the openings of the spring clamp, with said stops bearing against the bearing ends of the spring clamp, a'pair of oppositely positioned curved locking arms extending from one of saidblades, crossing each other at their upper portions and extending through an opening of the other blade, each of said locking arms having a curved end oppositely positioned to its body portion and oppositely to each other, a semi-cylindrical clamping support carried by the curved end of each arm and a cylindrical spring interposed between the locking arms tending to spread said. armsfrom each other and simultaneously tending to force the curved ends of said locking arms toward each other, the semi-cylindrical supports of the arms adapted to support a cable leading to a signal. 

